diff --git a/core/src/utility.cpp b/core/src/utility.cpp
index b79e4c5..3dac96c 100644
--- a/core/src/utility.cpp
+++ b/core/src/utility.cpp
@@ -19,9 +19,52 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <ctime>
 #include <fstream>
+#include <vector>
 
 #include "SourcetrailException.h"
 
+namespace
+{
+std::istream& safeGetline(std::istream& is, std::string& t)
+{
+	t.clear();
+
+	// The characters in the stream are read one-by-one using a std::streambuf.
+	// That is faster than reading them one-by-one using the std::istream.
+	// Code that uses streambuf this way must be guarded by a sentry object.
+	// The sentry object performs various tasks,
+	// such as thread synchronization and updating the stream state.
+
+	std::istream::sentry se(is, true);
+	std::streambuf* sb = is.rdbuf();
+
+	while (true)
+	{
+		int c = sb->sbumpc();
+		switch (c)
+		{
+		case '\n':
+			return is;
+		case '\r':
+			if (sb->sgetc() == '\n')
+			{
+				sb->sbumpc();
+			}
+			return is;
+		case std::streambuf::traits_type::eof():
+			// Also handle the case when the last line has no line ending
+			if (t.empty())
+			{
+				is.setstate(std::ios::eofbit);
+			}
+			return is;
+		default:
+			t += (char)c;
+		}
+	}
+}
+}	 // namespace
+
 namespace sourcetrail
 {
 namespace utility
@@ -34,23 +77,53 @@ bool getFileExists(const std::string& filePath)
 
 std::string getFileContent(const std::string& filePath)
 {
+	std::vector<std::string> lines;
+
+	try
+	{
+		std::ifstream srcFile;
+		srcFile.open(filePath, std::ios::binary | std::ios::in);
+
+		if (srcFile.fail())
+		{
+			throw SourcetrailException("Could not open file " + filePath);
+		}
+
+		while (!srcFile.eof())
+		{
+			std::string line;
+			safeGetline(srcFile, line);
+			lines.push_back(line + '\n');
+		}
+
+		srcFile.close();
+	}
+	catch (std::exception& e)
+	{
+		throw SourcetrailException("Exception thrown while reading file \"" + filePath + "\": " + e.what());
+	}
+	catch (...)
+	{
+		throw SourcetrailException("Unknown exception thrown while reading file \"" + filePath + "\"");
+	}
+
+	if (!lines.empty())
+	{
+		std::string last = lines.back().substr(0, lines.back().size() - 1);
+		lines.pop_back();
+		if (!last.empty())
+		{
+			lines.push_back(last);
+		}
+	}
+
 	std::string content;
 
-	std::ifstream file;
-	file.open(filePath);
-
-	if (file.fail())
+	for (const std::string& line: lines)
 	{
-		throw SourcetrailException("Could not open file " + filePath);
+		content += line;
 	}
 
-	for (std::string line; std::getline(file, line);)
-	{
-		content += line + "\n";
-	}
-
-	file.close();
-
 	return content;
 }